Chapter 54 The Arrogant Young Master Chen Junbo and Li Yang's Second Argument (2...)

On this day, Li Yang did not wait for Chen Junbai's carriage and went straight back to the Chen residence.

When Chen Junbo arrived at the flower market and learned of the situation, he turned around and left.

As the carriage jolted along, Xiao Lu grabbed Bi Fang's hands, her eyes gleaming. "Brother Bi Fang, are you serious? Young Master really fired Manager Zhong?"

Bi Fang smiled and flicked her nose with a finger. "Of course it's true. It's all thanks to your information. Last time, regarding the Hwarang incident, the shopkeeper not only tried to persuade the young mistress, but he also ran around doing all the work. The young master was already furious."

Now, the young master learned that Manager Zhong had been frequenting the Chen residence, so he ordered the gatekeeper to investigate. This couldn't be kept secret any longer; he dared to secretly pass a message to Baomo Hall behind the master's back. Now that something had happened in the storeroom, the Liu family's owner stormed into the salt shop and berated the young master, also upsetting the young mistress and young master. This matter was definitely related to that family, and the young master was so angry that he dismissed him on the spot.

Hearing this, Little Deer smiled and wrinkled her nose, "Brother Bifang, don't pinch my nose, or it will become flat and ugly."

Turning her head away, she laughed even more heartily: That old fool Manager Zhong was giving her a hard time just two days ago, but look at him, it was just a matter of her saying a few words, and the young master fired him.

"Brother Bifang, has the new manager been chosen yet?" She suddenly thought that there would be a new manager after Zhong left, and she didn't want another one she couldn't get along with. "Manager Zhong always bullied me before. He was always dissatisfied with me because I was young. Don't come back and find another manager who will bully me too."

Upon hearing this, Bi Fang frowned: "Is that so? Don't worry, I will speak with the new manager and make sure he doesn't bully you."

"Mmm-hmm." Little Deer was overjoyed to have received his assurance.

The two men initially gave Xiaolu a hairpin because Bifang wanted to inquire about the young mistress. Who knew this girl was so adept at handling things? One day she'd send pastries, the next she'd ask for favors. Later, the two even rode in the same carriage to and from the flower market, and over time they began to get along quite well.

This steward, who spends his days surrounded by men, has no experience dealing with young women. This little girl, despite her young age, is pretty and charming, and knows how to be coquettish. If anything displeases her, she'll pout and burst into tears.

So vibrant and lively, Bi Fang truly began to take this little girl to heart. He seemed to understand why the young master always said that with the young mistress around, life had become much more interesting.

However, no matter how well the two of them discussed it, the new manager was already driven away by Li Yang before he even took office.

"Chen Junbo, you can take back this flower shop. I don't want the tea shop either. Can you find someone to look after it yourself?"

Chen Junbo had just stepped across the threshold when she struck him like a blow to the head. He quickly stepped forward, his brows furrowed, and said, "Zhaozhao, don't say such hurtful things."

“I’m serious.” She looked up at Chen Junbo. “These were originally the Chen family’s properties; I was just looking after them for them. But now that things have turned out like this, neither of us is happy. What’s the point?”

After returning from the flower garden, Li Yang curled up in bed, drew the bed curtains, and buried himself in his small world. He stared blankly at the endless gourds above his head, and it took him a long time to understand what was going on.

She was merely a pawn in Chen Junbo's power struggle with Chen Zhangshi, while Zhong Qian was another pawn. Chen Junbo's sudden involvement in the flower market today, seemingly out of dissatisfaction with Zhong Qian, was, upon closer examination, also a reflection of his dissatisfaction with himself.

Is this to blame her for not keeping a close eye on the flower arrangement? It seems the higher-ups had her mother-in-law interfere with things.

Regardless, the thought that she was merely a pawn in their power struggle made Li Yang feel uneasy. Although she often said that Chen Junbai was her boss, she couldn't accept the fact that he was only using her as a pawn in his power struggle with Chen Zhangshi.

“I’m not saying this out of anger. Running a business requires everyone to work together. I’m unhappy that you fired Manager Zhong today, because everything Manager Zhong said and did was done according to my wishes.”

Seeing that Chen Junbo was about to speak, she continued, "Yes, he was wrong. It was indeed wrong of him to pass some information to his mother-in-law in private, and he should also be punished for not informing me of Brother Long's background immediately. But, Chen Junbo, ask yourself honestly, which manager in the Chen family would dare to refuse his mother-in-law's orders? I wouldn't dare either, so, is Manager Zhong really wrong?"

She poured out her heart, which she had been pondering over in bed all afternoon, saying, “You seem to be dissatisfied with Manager Zhong, but actually, it’s me who’s dissatisfied. Since that’s the case, why bother making a fuss? Why not let Bi Fang take over, and then find an experienced manager to handle things according to your wishes?”

Hearing her words, Chen Junbo was filled with deep regret.

He should have known better than to go and open that Zhong family business. He had been planning to let her run the flower arrangement business for fun all along. But after hearing Bi Fang's report, he got angry and interfered again.

Now that Li Yang is sitting in the house so coldly trying to 'reason' with him, he really can't take it anymore.

What does it mean to lift a stone only to drop it on your own foot? He'd shattered the sweet atmosphere they'd built up over the sake of a complete stranger. Looking at her now, he realized her attitude was even worse than before.

But he had already fired the person. Chen Junbo swallowed the sticky feeling in his throat and sat down next to her tentatively, "Zhaozhao, the person has already been fired. How about we have Bifang bring over the new manager tomorrow so you can choose one yourself?"

Li Yang felt increasingly unable to understand the person in front of him. "Do you think this is like buying vegetables and picking fish? Chen Junbo, do you know that Manager Zhong has an eighty-year-old mother and two children at home? His wife is in poor health and cannot go out. This whole family depends on his monthly allowance to live?"

Hiring a manager is all it takes; why bother with all this at home? He genuinely didn't know; he had never personally hired a manager before—that was always Bi Fang's job. Now, Li Yang's persistent questioning made him hesitate. "So, what do you think?"

"What do you think?" Li Yang put on a stern face and looked him up and down. Then his brows relaxed, as if he had given up on arguing with him. "Does it matter what I think? You've already been told to fire him."

This was just repeating the same old story, so there was nothing more to discuss. Chen Junbo felt a surge of resistance. Who was he doing all this for? Why was he not only ungrateful but also so aggressive? "Zhaozhao, you should trust people you employ. This Zhong Qian is glib and two-faced; he's disloyal. If he did his job well, that would be one thing, but he managed to empty the warehouse without you even noticing. What do you care about his elderly mother, wife, and children? Why are you getting angry with me for the sake of these irrelevant people?"

Li Yang looked at him, opened his mouth, and then closed it again.

She felt she had been incredibly foolish to try and reason with him, but now she realized that reasoning wouldn't work.

Yes, for Chen Junbo, business is just a game of chess; if a piece is not useful, it is discarded.

But she couldn't be so rational. Every day at the flower market, she saw real people, each with their own families.

Everything she did was aimed at ensuring these people could work peacefully and without fear, and that their families could live in peace and prosperity. Between employers and employees, beyond the cold, hard monthly wages, there's always some affection, isn't there?

But these things seemed completely incomprehensible to Chen Junbo.

Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, her eyes gradually dimming, Chen Junbo panicked. "Zhaozhao? Do you resent me?"

“No.” Li Yang had a lot to say but couldn’t. Looking at Chen Junbo’s anxious expression, she sighed and said, “No, I know you did all this for the sake of the game, to make me win. You’re not wrong, and I’m not wrong either. It’s just that I suddenly feel that even though neither of us is wrong, why can’t we ever see eye to eye?”

"What do you mean?" Chen Junbai exclaimed, exasperated. "Just for that shopkeeper? In your heart, am I not as important as that shopkeeper?"

Huh? Why is this person bringing up this again? Are these things even comparable?

The conversation had progressed to this point, and the two looked at each other.

Li Yang thought to herself, "Am I asking too much of him? Aren't all couples like this? They talk to each other, do their own things, and still manage to get by?"

However, she had seen it, she had seen lovers who were truly in sync with her parents, and she always hoped that she could meet such a lover.

Is she asking for too much?

Little did she know that Chen Junbo was burning with jealousy: that Zhou family brat, that Zhong manager, even all the waiters in the brothel were worth you making a scene with me. In your heart, what am I?

In just a few moments, Chen Junbo had suppressed the jealousy in his heart: Even so, I will definitely be able to surpass them!

He didn't know why Young Master Chen would lower himself to compete with these people. In short, he didn't understand why Li Yang would make such a big fuss about Zhong Qian's matter. But he knew that he didn't like the way things were between the two of them right now.

He wanted to hold her and listen to her sweet laughter as she spoke to him; he disliked Li Yang's cold and indifferent attitude at this moment.

Thinking of it, Young Master Chen immediately summoned someone to bring him the pen, halting the search for a new manager for the flower shop, and instructing that all matters concerning the flower shop should be handled by the young mistress, and that there was no need to report to him anymore.

The swift movements left Fang Liyang and his companion stunned on the spot.

It was you, Young Master Chen, who interfered in the flower business, and it was you, Young Master Chen, who said you shouldn't interfere. It was you who asked about the flower business every day, and now you've sold yourself off in front of the young mistress...

Bi Fang had never realized that working for the Chen family was so difficult. Well, he should hurry and report back to the new manager. Having such a henpecked young master made him feel inferior in front of that little girl, Xiao Lu.

Watching the young master Chen, who looked pleased with himself, leave after Bi Fang left, Li Yang was at a loss for words. What did he do? What problem did he solve? Would Manager Zhong be able to return? Or did the two of them finally reach an agreement?

Isn't this just blatant provocation? This time, the pen butler is definitely going to hold a grudge against me...

She suddenly realized that this man was as childish as a three-year-old. She hadn't noticed this side of him before; where was the ethereal, otherworldly young master of the Chen family?

"Chen Junbo, have you been possessed?"

Chen Junbo suddenly turned around, staring intently at her. The pride on his face instantly turned into plaster, crumbling and falling away in pieces.

In any case, the flower shop is temporarily without a manager, and the young mistress has gone to work in Young Master Chen's carriage.

Afterwards, when Chen Junbo recalled this whole ordeal, he felt it was the worst deal he had ever made. He'd made a huge fuss, gained nothing, and even received the cold shoulder for several days. It was all Bi Fang's fault for being such a gossip; if Bi Fang hadn't been constantly nagging him about Manager Zhong, he wouldn't have had the time to bother with this.

Right and wrong, cause and effect, who has ever let whom off the hook?

However, unexpectedly, the aftermath of this unwarranted disaster swept over the Fang family's teahouse.

After hearing Li Yang's explanation of his purpose, Fang Yuan blinked, got up, and left.